Petunia plant named ‘USTUNI7501’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘USTUNI7501’, characterized by its low spreading to cascading plant habit; freely branching and vigorous growth habit; numerous single flowers that are soft pink in color; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USTUNI7501’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name USTUNI7501.

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new disease-resistant and heat-tolerant Petunias with semi-upright plant habit and attractive flower colors.

The new Petunia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Apr. 26, 2001 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Petunia×hybrida, not patented. The new Petunia was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny on Jun. 18, 2002 in Gensingen, Germany, on the basis of its plant habit and attractive flower coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings since Jun. 18, 2002, in Gensingen, Germany has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar USTUNI7501 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USTUNI7501’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USTUNI7501’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Low spreading to cascading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching and vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Numerous single flowers that are soft pink in color.     -   4. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hikone, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more creeping than and not as         upright as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were more vigorous than plants of         the female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hikone, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of the male parent selection in time to flower as plants of the new Petunia flowered earlier than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Dancasoft, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,383. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of the cultivar Dancasoft in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely branching than         plants of the cultivar Dancasoft.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller flowers than plants of         the cultivar Dancasoft.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia were more rain tolerant than plants         of the cultivar Dancasoft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘USTUNI7501’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘USTUNI7501’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants grown in 15-cm containers were used for the aforementioned photographs and following description. Plants were about three months from planting rooted cuttings. Plants were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the spring in and outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 21° C.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar USTUNI7501. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed selection of Petunia×hybrida, not             patented.         -   Male parent.—Unnamed selection of Petunia×hybrida, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 15 days at             20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer and winter.—About 20 days at             18° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine; white, close to 155D, in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/habit.—Annual flowering plant; indeterminate; initially             upright, then low spreading and cascading; uniformly mounded             plant form. Freely branching habit with about eight to ten             lateral branches and numerous secondary and tertiary lateral             branches per plant. Pinching enhances development of lateral             branches. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes, patio             containers and landscape applications.         -   Plant height.—About 21 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 52 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter: About             3.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Texture: Pubescent;             viscid. Color: 145A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate before             flowering; opposite after flowers develop; simple. Length:             About 3.3 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent; viscid. Venation pattern:             Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing and fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: 146A. Developing and fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: 146B. Venation, upper surface: 146C.             Venation, lower surface: 146D. Petiole length: About 5 mm.             Petiole diameter: About 2.5 mm. Petiole texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent. Petiole color, upper surface:             146C. Petiole color, lower surface: 146D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers             face mostly upward or outward; axillary. Freely flowering             habit, about eleven flower buds and open flowers per lateral             branch.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long             flowering period, spring until frost in the autumn;             flowering continuous during this period. Plants begin             flowering about four to six weeks after planting rooted             cuttings. Flowers persistent.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five to seven days.         -   Fragrance.—Strong, sweet floral.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 5 cm. Depth (height): About             3.8 cm. Tube length: About 2.7 cm. Throat diameter, distal             end: About 1.1 cm. Tube diameter, proximal end: About 4 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.7 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Elongated obovate. Color: 75D.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: About five petals fused in a             single whorl, funnelform. Length from throat: About 2.2 cm.             Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Roughly fan-shaped to obovate.             Apex: Acute with shallow central points. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower             surface: Petal lobes, smooth, glabrous; tube, pubescent.             Color: When opening, upper surface: 70C to 70D. When             opening, lower surface: 69B. Fully opened, upper surface:             75B; venation, 75B; color becoming closer to 62D with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: 69B to 69C;             venation, 145B. Flower throat (inside): 157C; venation,             147D. Flower tube (outside): 155B; venation, 145B.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals             fused at base, star-shaped. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Rounded. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 45° to 60° from the stem. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Anther shape: Oval. Anther size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Anther             color: 158C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 158B.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             1.8 cm. Style length: About 1.6 cm. Style color: 145C.             Stigma shape: Rounded; anvil-shaped. Stigma color: 146A.             Ovary color: 145A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and/or fruit production has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance. Plants of the new Petunia have been     noted to tolerate temperatures from 0° C. to 38° C. and have     excellent tolerance to rain and wind. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘USTUNI7501’, as illustrated and described. 